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Discover Whangārei District
Talk to a Local
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Kathleen Drumm - Chief Executive, Hundertwasser Art Centre
My top five must-do’s for visitors would have to be…
• Whangārei Growers’ Market – on Saturday mornings, has fruit, veges, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, olive oils and plants on sale. There’s excellent coffee to keep you warm on a crisp morning and the adjacent bakery serves up mouth-wateringly good croissants.
• The Hātea Loop – an easy one-hour pedestrian circuit past waterfront cafés, outdoor sculptures and ramshackle boat sheds – popular with cyclists, runners, couples and families. You walk right past the brand new Hundertwasser Art Centre.
• Gathered, a shop in the Town Basin, has a selection of gorgeous objects for your home or office.
Dining in Whangārei Basin © Whangārei District Council
• Drinks or dinner at The Quay on the waterfront. The food is great, the service is friendly and they have an excellent wine list. I enjoy sitting on the verandah beside the Hātea River, with a host of international yachts in the harbour.
• Parihaka – an extinct volcano right in the heart of the city. It’s a former Māori pā site with exceptional views of the city, the harbour and of the surrounding districts.
Whangārei Heads © Adobe Stock
For a delightful day trip, head to Smugglers Bay at Whangārei Heads, which has one of the region’s most beautiful beaches. It has walking tracks, stunning views, bird life and an historic gun emplacement built during World War II, with a painting inside that shows the compass points in the harbour.
Living in Whangārei is awesome. The area is attracting clusters of creative people who are skilled in the arts, technology, engineering and food tourism. I predict great things to come and can’t wait for New Zealanders to discover the Hundertwasser Art Centre.
